2016 NFL Mock Draft: Projections for Event's Fastest-Rising Prospects

We're entering in the final stages of the NFL draft evaluation process, with the main event now less than a month away. 

But even in the final weeks, prospects are still jockeying for position on draft boards with some last-minute workouts, medical checks and interviews. 

While NFL teams have strong opinions about prospects at this stage of the process, draft boards have yet to be finalized, which gives players a chance to rise or fall slightly in the coming weeks. 

Here's a look at an updated mock draft followed by a breakdown of a few prospects who are on the rise. 

Pick	Team	Player	Pos	School
1	Tennessee Titans	Laremy Tunsil	OT	Ole Miss
2	Cleveland Browns	Jalen Ramsey	DB	Florida State
3	San Diego Chargers	DeForest Buckner	DE	Oregon
4	Dallas Cowboys	Joey Bosa	DE	Ohio State
5	Jacksonville Jaguars	Vernon Hargreaves	CB	Florida
6	Baltimore Ravens	Myles Jack	LB	UCLA
7	San Francisco 49ers	Jared Goff	QB	California
8	Philadelphia Eagles	Ronnie Stanley	OT	Notre Dame
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Shaq Lawson	DE	Clemson
10	New York Giants	Darron Lee	LB	Ohio State
11	Chicago Bears	Carson Wentz	QB	North Dakota State
12	New Orleans Saints	Leonard Floyd	LB	Georgia
13	Miami Dolphins	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	Ohio State
14	Oakland Raiders	Reggie Ragland	LB	Alabama
15	Los Angeles Rams	Josh Doctson	WR	TCU
16	Detroit Lions	Jack Conklin	OT	Michigan State
17	Atlanta Falcons	Kevin Dodd	DE	Clemson
18	Indianapolis Colts	Taylor Decker	OT	Ohio State
19	Buffalo Bills	Sheldon Rankins	DT	Louisville
20	New York Jets	Noah Spence	LB	Eastern Kentucky
21	Washington Redskins	Eli Apple	CB	Ohio State
22	Houston Texans	Corey Coleman	WR	Baylor
23	Minnesota Vikings	Laquon Treadwell	WR	Ole Miss
24	Cincinnati Bengals	Michael Thomas	WR	Ohio State
25	Pittsburgh Steelers	William Jackson III	CB	Houston
26	Seattle Seahawks	Cody Whitehair	OG	Kansas State
27	Green Bay Packers	A'Shawn Robinson	DT	Alabama
28	Kansas City Chiefs	Mackensie Alexander	CB	Clemson
29	Arizona Cardinals	Ryan Kelly	C	Alabama
30	Carolina Panthers	Vonn Bell	FS	Ohio State
31	Denver Broncos	Paxton Lynch	QB	Memphis

Notable Fast-Rising Prospects

WR Michael Thomas, Ohio State

Paul Vernon/Associated Press

Michael Thomas didn't put up huge numbers at Ohio State, primarily due to the presence of running back Ezekiel Elliott in the offense. But Keyshawn Johnson's nephew is among the hottest names in the draft and is a candidate to develop into an even better pro than he was a college receiver. 

Thomas lacks elite speed and is primarily a possession receiver. To further boost his stock in that role, Thomas has been working to add weight this offseason, recently sharing that he had gained five pounds since the combine. 

Based on Thomas' updated weight, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller shared a comparison of the measurables for Thomas and Ole Miss' Laquon Treadwell:

"

By the numbers: Michael Thomas (WR1) vs Laquon Treadwell (WR2) pic.twitter.com/yt8evyEX5y

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 28, 2016"

Treadwell and Thomas both play similar roles, but the numbers advantage appears to go to Thomas. 

According to Bleacher Report's Jason Cole, the Washington Redskins are among the teams that are high on Thomas as a first-round prospect. 

CB William Jackson III, Houston

Stew Milne/Associated Press

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, William Jackson visited with the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday, a potential indication that the team could be interested in him with the 13th selection. 

In this mock-draft scenario, the Dolphins land Ezekiel Elliott to fill their running back void, but if Elliott were off the board, Jackson would be a viable option at No. 13. 

The rise of Jackson has coincided with the rise of Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, who solidified himself as a potential top-10 selection with a dominant combine performance. 

With Hargreaves and Florida State's Jalen Ramsey likely landing in the top 10, other franchises in the market for a cornerback are doing their homework on Jackson to determine if he's worthy of being the third cornerback off the board. 

QB Carson Wentz, North Dakota State

MIKE STONE/Associated Press

Carson Wentz continues to ace every test thrown his way this offseason. 

After wowing scouts at the Senior Bowl and then again at the combine, Wentz has checked off another box by scoring a 40 on his Wonderlic test, according to former NFL scout John Middlekauff:

"

The top 2 QBs in the draft dominated the Wonderlic

Wentz 40
Goff 36

— John Middlekauff (@JohnMiddlekauff) March 28, 2016"

This news doesn't necessarily change Wentz's stock, but it's just another test he's passed with flying colors this offseason. 

If teams were looking for reasons to doubt Wentz's ability to transition from the FCS to the NFL, he's hasn't given them any.